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FLANG settles in at Hurlburt Field

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jeff Parkinson
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  It’s been a year since Detachment 2, Florida Air National Guard stood up at Hurlburt Field to support the 8th Special Operations Squadron and 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

The purpose of Det. 2 is to provide additional operational and maintenance support to 8th SOS and 801st SOAMXS by recruiting separating active duty Airmen to provide long-term stability to CV-22 Osprey operations.

“The targeted aim is the experienced,” said Master Sgt. Joel Johnson, NCO in-charge of the commander support staff for the FLANG, Det 2. “We’re pulling directly out of the active duty component, folks that just came off the flightline and transferring them over to the Guard.”

According to Johnson, this provides continuity within the CV-22 community, saving the Air Force money in training new Airmen.

“Overall, it has been a great success,” he said. “Although, what remains our biggest challenge is establishing our presence within the base population, especially with support and helping agencies.”

Since the Det 2 stand-up in December 2015, the unit has grown from one Airman to one personnelist, two operators, four maintainers., and is scheduled to grow every month.

“The transition has been pretty seamless so far,” said Senior Master Sgt. Aaron Brown, flight engineer with the FLANG, Det 2. “Maj. William Thompson, a pilot, and I were already assigned here, so it was really just a change in paperwork.”